Time-controlled mechanism



Mar. 20, 1923.

H. COYLE TIME CONTROLLED MECHANISM Filed Dec. 10, 1921 5 wwntoz /7. (by/e attouwq Patented Mar. 20, 1923.

UNITED STATES HENRY COYLE, OF WILSON, NORTH CAROLINA.

TIME-CONTROLLED MECHANISM.

Application filed December 10, 1921. Serial 110.521,!81.

To all whom it may come m:

Be it known that I, HENRY CoYLE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Wilson, in the county of Wilson and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time- Controlled Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improve ments in time controlled mechanisms and has relation more particularly to an electric annunciator embodying a single alarm, and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and im roved device of this general character which is especially adapted for use in mills where cotton seed is boiled to extract the oil, said mechanism causing an alarm to be intermittently operated at predetermined intervals of time to give warning when the seed should be removed from the vat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved mechanism of this general character wherein the circuit for operating the alarm is closed at predetermined intervals of time and in a manner whereby no obstruction or retardation is offered to the movement of the clock with which the mechanism is associated so that the time recorded by the clock may be accurately maintained.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of this general character embodying novel and improved means whereby the same may be caused to give an alarm or signal intermittently at predetermined intervals of time and which will be automatically releasedafter the giving of such alarmor signal and which mechanism will reset itself to repeat the desired alarm or signal at the proper time.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of' the several parts of my improved time controlled mechanism whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation, partly broken away and of a diagrammatic character, illustrating a mechanism constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention and applied to a clock;

Figure 2 is an enlar ed fragmentary View partly in elevation anc partly in plan illustrating in detail a portion of the mechanism comprised in my invention as herein disclosed; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken through the structure as illustrated in Figure 2 and on a line radial to the minute post of the clock movement.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, C denotes a clock case of any ordinary or preferred type in which is arranged a clock movement fragmentarily indicated by M and with which movement and case is associated an annular dial D surrounding a central well or pocketlV, said well or pocket having its wall. in the present embodiment of my invention, concentric to the minute post 1.

Movable with the minute post 1 is the minute hand 2 and said post 1 is in driving connection by the elements 3 with the arbor 4 of the hour hand 5. As this mechanism forms no part of my present invention, it is believed that a detailed description and illustration thereof are unnecessary.

The peripheral wall 6 of the well or pocket W at its outer or free marginal portion is defined. by the oppositely directed flanges 'T and 8, the flange 7 extending slightly within or overlying the well or pocket WV with the second flange S slightly extending over or partially overlying the dial D and spaced therefrom, as is clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

Slidably engaged with the flanges '7 and 8, as at 9. is an end portion of an arm 1 which extends inwardly of the well or pocket on a predetermined incline in a direction awayfrom the peripheral wall 6 and terminates in an angular ortion 11 providing a stop for a purpose to be herein.- after referred to. The portion 9 of the arm 10 is continued by an outwardly directed index or pointer 12 positioned in close proximity to the dial D and coacting with the time indications 14, the purpose of which are hereinafter explained.

One of the elements comprised in the driving connection 3 between the minute lit) post 1 and the hour arbor 4c is carried by a sleeve or hub 15 mounted upon the post 1 for rotation therewith, said sleeve or hub 15' having also fixed thereto a gear wheel 16 of desired dimensions and which is positioned between the spaced plates 17, said plates being connected together and maintained in requisite relation at desired points by the pins or rivets 18 surrounded between the plates 17 by the spacing sleeves 19. One of the plates 17 at substantially its central portion is loosely mounted upon the sleeve or hub 15 while the second plate is loosely mounted upon the minute post 1, whereby the connected plates 17 are capable of swing ing or rocking movement independently of the minute post 1.

The connected plates 17 are moved in one direction by the helical or clock spring 20, one end portion of which is engaged, as at 21, with the connected plates 17, the opposite or inner end portion of said spring being secured, as at 22, to the clock movement M or other suitable element. This spring 20 is positioned below the plates 17 and surrounds the minute post 1 or more particularly the bearing 23 therefor. When the assembled plates 17 are swung or rocked in one direction, the spring 20 is placed under tension so that, upon release of said plates 17, the spring 20 operates effectively to move the assembled plates in the reverse direction.

Rotatably supported between the plates 17 and constantly in mesh with the gear 16 is a pinion 2 1. Also supported between the plates 17 is a dog or pawl 25 capable of rocking movement and which, upon movement in one direction, engages a. tooth of the pinion 24 whereby said pinion 2a is locked to the gear 16, resulting in the plates 17 and the parts carried thereby moving in unison with the gear 16 until the dog or pawl 25 is released from the pinion 24. Upon release of the dog or pawl 25 from the pinion 2 1, the spring 20 will cause the plates 17 and the parts carried thereby to have return movement.

The pivoted end portion of the dog or pawl 25 is provided with an outstanding arm 26 terminating in a laterally directed extension or finger 27, said finger or extension 27 being disposed in the same general direction as the direction of travel of the plates 17 with the gear 16.

With the pawl or dog 25 engaged with the pinion 241, the plates 17 move with the gear 16 in a direction toward the indication 14; or the hour of XII. In close proximity to said just mentioned hour indication is a contact member 28 extending inwardly of the well or pocket WV from the wall 6 thereof. I do not, however, wish to be understood as limiting myself to this exact location of the contact member 28.

As the plates 17 or more particularly the arm 26 travels toward the contact member 28, the free end portion oil the extension or linger 27 will come into engagement therewith and upon the continued movement oi the plates 17 with the gear wheel 16, the dog or pawl 25'will be caused to swing out of engagement with the pinion to pen mit the desired return movement of said plates 17 and which return movement is limited by contact of the arm 26 with the stop 11 hereinbefore referred to. The arm 26, under the action of the spring 20, is brought into substantially forcible contact with the stop 11 which results in the dog or pawl 25 being caused to have proper engage ment with the pinion 24 whereby the plates 17 are again locked for unitary movement with the gear wheel 16.

Extending outwardly from the case (J are the binding posts P, one 01* which is in electrical connection by the conductor a with the contact member 28 and the second of which is in electrical connection through the conductor 7) with the minute post 1 through the moveniient M. One of said posts 1 is also in electrical connection through the conductor c with an alarm or signal herein disclosed as a bell. The seccnd post P is also in electrical connection with the alarm or signal A through the conductor (Z, said conductor (Z being herein illustrated as having interposed therein a source E of electrical energy.

When the extension 27 is in engagement with the contact member 28, the circuit for the alarm or signal A will be closed through the conductors a, 0, Z) and d, the clock movement M, and from the minute post 1 through the arm 26 and extension or finger 27. Dur ing the period the finger or extension 27 is in engagement with the contact member 28, the alarm or signal A will operate and this period of time is controlled by the extent to which the outer or engaging end of the dog or pawl 25 overlies a tooth of the pinion 24.

It has been fully demonstrated in practice that the contact of the finger or extension 27 with the contact member 28 with the resultant release of the dog or pawl 25 from the pinion 24 does not offer any obstruction or retardation to the clock movement, as the force or power required to release the dog or pawl 25 is substantially nil.

In Figure 1, I show the index or pointer associated with the hour indication TX and when so positioned, the alarm or signal will be caused to intermittently operate at intervals of fifteen minutes. This time, however, can beincreased or decreased from one to thirty minutes by properly adjusting or moving the index or pointer 12 and the stop 11 associated therewith.

The index or pointer 12 is herein disclosed as having an offset portion 29, said offset portion being provided so that the ferrule or sleeve 30 surrounding the winding shaft 31 will offer no obstruction to the index or pointer 12 when the same is moved or adjusted into a position to cause the alarm or signal A to intermittently operate at periods of thirty minutes.

\Vhile I have particularly stated that my invention is adapted for use in connection with mills where cotton seed is boil=- i to extract the oil, it will be readily understood that my improved mechanism can be em ployed for other purposes, such as in schools to denote the time to change classes, in shops where certain work requires attention only at stated intervals, and so on.

The pivoted portion of the dog or pawl 25 is provided with a lateral extension 32 disposed in a direction opposite to that of the extension or finger 27. This extension 32 is preferably of a fanciful design. The purpose of this extension is to provide means whereby the dog or pawl 25 may be disengaged from the pinion 24 by an operator as the necessities of practice may re quire. This extension 32 can be engaged by a finger or suitable implement. The reason why I have the extension of fanciful type is because the operator can be instructed to better advantage as to how the dog or pawl 25 can be manually operated to effect a return movement of the plates 17 and the parts carried thereby.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a time controlled mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with iich it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown. in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

1 claim:

The combination with a rotatable member and means for driving the same, of a member having swinging movement independently of the rotatable member with the rotatable member as the axis of movement for the second member, a gear wheel rotating with the rotatable member, a pinion carried by the second named member and -meshing with the gear wheel, a pawl carried by the second named member and movable into position to engage the pinion to lock the same against rotation whereby the second named member is swung in one, direction by the rotatable member, automatic means for swinging the second named member in the opposite direction upon release of the pawl from the pinion, a stationary contact member positioned in the path of travel of the pawl when the second named member is moved, the engagement of the pawl with the stationary contact upon continued rotation of the rotatable member releasing the pawl from the pinion, and means for limiting the extent of return movement of the second named member.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

' HENRY COYLE. 

